This is one outlet's own report from Newsweek — the article as it was filed. Other outlets are covering the same event; open the full story to compare every source side by side.
Saints Late-Round Rookie Draws Comparison to Former All-Pro
0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. The New Orleans Saints seem to already have a ton of talent on offense, but recent reports hint the rich could be getting richer.
Saints wide receiver Chris Olave has compared sixth-round rookie Barion Brown to former All-Pro Rashid Shaheed.
“They are basically the same player,” Olave said via Erin Summers .
Brown is certainly an intriguing player, and it's understandable why he's being compared to Shaheed since both players have displayed elite speed.
Brown ran an official 4.40-second 40-yard dash at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine this offseason and NFL Next Gen Stats has tracked Shaheed hitting in-game speeds upwards of 21.7 mph.
However, it's still unclear what kind of role Brown could have in the Saints crowded offense. Olave, first-round rookie Jordyn Tyson, Devaughn Vele, Travis Etienne Jr., Alvin Kamara and Juwan Johnson are all expected to contribute.
Brown could still find a way to contribute as a rookie on special teams, though. That's exactly what Shaheed did early in his career and still does now in Seattle with four career returns for touchdowns.
If Brown can make some splash plays that way, the Saints will likely give him more and more opportunities on offense.
A native of Nashville, Tennessee, Brown played college football at Kentucky (2022-24) and LSU (2025), racking up 175 catches for 2,060 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also returned 66 kickoffs for 1,910 yards and six touchdowns.
AIPROPX is an independent multi-source news index — we track, compare, and connect coverage from across the web into one place you won't find anywhere else.
